Metafrasi: The World They First Knew
by MiddonaitoShi
Summary: 12-year-old Hayato Hakozaki, a not-so-stoic boy living away from his parents, is given a chance to go back to Maijima when a mysterious boy with a halo on top of his head appears right where the man from his 5-year-old dream predicted it to be. He calls himself Hephaestus, and his job on Earth is to... capture souls and track down goddesses? Hayato's normal life has now changed...


_The three realms are in great chaos. The Earth is swept in horrid conflict due to the actions of the people of Hell, who are craving for more power. Heaven is also involved into the mess that we created, for they were also affected by the power shift. The evils of humans, diligently watered by the immoral demons, are giving Hell a huge chunk of power, upsetting the balance of the cosmos._

 _We were unwittingly helping them. We almost lost our own morality. If we were still by their side, we could've murdered more innocents… burned their homes… shattered their tiny glimmer of hopes and dreams… this was the reason why I formed this team. We want to redeem ourselves. We don't want to be demons anymore. We want to be the light of the three realms, never to yield to any evil for eternity._

 _We are known by name. This name is to be feared for three centuries._

 _It… is…_

* * *

 **[POV Switch, Unknown, Almage Machina]**

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

The war is getting worse and worse. Hundreds and hundreds of people are losing their lives for this stupid struggle for power. They did not deserve to give their lives up for something so evil. Heaven is winning the war, alongside the other demons who want to obtain power through ethical means.

"We have to. If it means to finally put an end to this…"

Behind us stood six women of Heaven; they are known as the current generation of the Jupiter Sisters, girls that are greatly bound by emotional sisterhood, chosen by the god king Jupiter to become women who have the power to even stop this war. They are also the reason why we seven are gathered: to protect them and their magic circle long enough for them to seal the immoral demons and themselves away from the three realms. I did not agree to this, but we had no choice. If this war would continue, even Earth will be swept into chaos.

"Don't worry about them, Hephaestus. They're the Jupiter Sisters, for Hell's sakes."

Even with the team leader's assurance, I was still scared. They were the ones who helped us realize that… that… Tch, I can't even accept that they've accepted this kind of fate…!

"But…" I told our leader. Just then, I felt a pat on my right shoulder. It came from Apollo, whose hands were shaking, clearly seen with the shaking of his bow in hand. "Don't you trust them enough, Hephaestus?"

I knew he was scared as well. The Jupiter Sisters also had a girl named Apollo, who he was best friends with. I also knew that he didn't want her to just give up her life for this. I stared at his eyes, which were shaking and also seemed to hold tears. Is he trying to hold them back?

"Hephaestus… Apollo… Do not worry about us, please."

 _Diana… Are you even sure that you're not hesitating? Is this how you want to go?_

No… I can't say that out loud. It's too late anyway, because the circle has begun to light up, surrounding the Sisters. Oh no…

HERE THEY COME!

"Huahhh!"

I struck the enemy right at his chest. He clutched his great wound before finally dying. Meanwhile, the others are also thrown into combat. Artemis readied his hunting bow, pulling off shots to the head as a horde of demons came rushing towards him. Apollo's bow was switched out for his harp, and as he began playing a tune from it, we felt our power surging back to us. Ares brandished his longsword and stabbed multiple enemies through their stomach while shouting his battle cry. Hermes quickly dodged his enemies' projectiles and threw them back at them in a speed doubled than that of their original speed. Athenos, as he wants to be called although he took the name of Athena, also sported a blade, which was thinner and longer than Ares' sword, and slashed back and forth while charging.

"They're not stopping!" Ares shouted. He was right. Even with the number of demons that we have finished off, they just kept coming and coming! I refuse to accept this! I don't want to die this way!

"Who said the Knights are going to die, eh Heps?"

That… voice…

"Alright, let's do this! Smite!"

A huge thunderstorm then began to appear out of nowhere. It was so electrically charged that it spewed an uncountable number of lightning strikes, electrocuting our foes. Almost all were downed in one single sweep. There is only one guy capable of such a feat.

"Man, and I thought you chickened out, Zeus," remarked Ares as a figure came before us. The great demon sorcerer himself… accompanied by…

"Are you six safe?"

Artemis' eyes widened. "Lady Dokuro Skull herself! Why is a war hero with that perv Zeus? Did you seduce her with your 'unspeakable sorcery', you bastard?!"

"You're exaggerating things, Artemis. She's here to help us fend off the fiends… aaaaand there she goes swinging her sword… Sigh…"

And Zeus continued, "Oi, I thought that you were my Knights. MY Knights never back down from a fight! Not when the Jupiter Sisters' sealing chant is almost complete!" he spoke in a deep voice. Wait… almost complete?!

"Wait!"

 _Tssshhhh_ … that was the sound created by the sealing spell. The girls are now surrounded in a bright pillar of light. Zeus did not hesitate to say one more thing. "Oi, Vulcan, Apollo, Diana, Minerva, Mercury, Mars… Don't be a stranger when we unseal you guys."

"Un…seal? Are you…"

Vulcan's words were cut off by Zeus. "I don't know how to unseal you guys now… but I promise you… I will."

We admired his words. Even with the obstacle of uncertainty, he wants to succeed.

"If… you can… please… save us…"

"Mhm."

The light ascended to the skies above, and all the opposing demons were struck by said light, disappearing right in front of us. This continued for a while, until we had no sight of even the corpses on the ground. I realized that the land under this floating island was now uninhabitable. How will the new generation adapt to… this?

Zeus tapped my back. When I looked back at him, he wasn't in his serious mode anymore. He had a smile on. "If you're worrying about how the good demons will adapt to this war-torn world, don't. They're smart enough to build an airship, heck, maybe even a floating continent. Who knows?"

The skies began to clear up, and light finally came back to the realm of the shadows. After this whole conundrum, we Knights decided to momentarily take the Sisters' position in Heaven. That's the least we could do in exchange for their sacrifice. The only question as of this moment is… can Zeus really unseal them? And if so, when?

It might be absurd to ask these questions right now… So, I'll save these for later. And in later, I mean "many years later" later…

I can only hope for the future…

Aaaaaand the dramatic moment is cut off by Zeus. "Goddammit, Dokuro, and now your flesh are all gone! And you were a pretty one too!"

"Ahahahaha… oh Zeus…"

We six awkwardly laugh as we overlook the team leader lecturing a war heroine. This almost feels like a comedy play…

* * *

 **[POV Switch, Unknown, 295 years later]**

* * *

Wow, this is so boring. Life for a mere human is sloppy as heck, and I know it. Just waking up is a hassle upon itself. Is it really hard to ask for a more eventful life? I guess I'm getting it, since schools are already at that time when we take a break for the summer. But still, what will I do when summer break comes around? Laze around and watch TV until I get indefinitely bored? But there's no way to escape boredom, so I guess I'll just have to go through with this.

" _Oh, Hayato, aren't you tired of looking at your lifeless face every day?"_ I spoke to myself as I stared at the mirror, reflecting my great stoic face. I've been known to not show emotions correctly through facial expressions, so I try to make up for it by tonal differentiation. After a full ten minutes of bath time, I wore my school uniform for one last time. Even after two years, it still fits me.

It's been a while since I left Maijima City. Ever since that faithful day five years ago, my parents decided to send me off to become independent. Yes, I know they just want me out of their lives for five years, but they do mean well. I'm not going to be by their side forever.

* * *

 _He somehow appeared there, right in front of me. His face was tame, and held no ill thought. Although I was supposed to be scared of the stranger, he somehow calmed me down instead. The island, far-off the coast, began to crumble. The teachers said that there were two kids trapped there. I was drifted off… I wasn't really sure of everything my mind is saying. Was it actually an island? Were they trapped in a cave in the mainland? I'm not so sure of myself now. I can only feel my lone presence in this place, as though the man isn't actually there._

 _He began walking towards me. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. My feet felt like heavy blocks sunk into the ground. My hands almost felt like they were dead. I can't speak. I can't scream for help. I can't…_

" _Hey, hey, I know this may be troubling for you, but do not worry. I won't do you any harm, Hayato."_

 _How did he know my name? I wanted to ask that, but my mouth was all tied up. I couldn't even lift my tongue. How did he do this to me?! What's happening to me?!_

" _Hmm… the same reaction."_

 _Same… reaction?_

" _Listen, and listen well, young Hayato Hakozaki. You must keep the timeline stable. Vintage must be stopped from altering the interlude. Keima Katsuragi must not vanish from this world…! I know this… because I failed to…"_

 _What the hell is he talking about? Who's this Vintage? Who's this Keima? What the hell is with this time travel business?!_

" _I know you may not believe me now, but heed these words, if you can. Ah, also, word of thought, after this, your parents will move you to Nakata, and there, on the last day, you will meet the one responsible for the time loop."_

 _Time… loop… Nakata… last… day…_

" _Do not fail this time, Hayato. This is our last loop. He can't retain it for much longer. If you fail now… the whole world dies…"_

 _The whole… world… dies…_

" _Good luck… Hayato."_

 _As he said those words, I finally found consciousness on the seashore. There, I found that those two kids were saved, and I was just dreaming. The next day, my parents did move me to Nakata. I never heard from those two kids or that mysterious man again._

* * *

That faithful day… July 22… five years ago… everything that man had said is falling into place. If what he really said was true… then that someone should be right… here.

"…"

There was no one there. There was no one sitting on the lone bench. It was at the center of the Nakata Park, only known for the mysteries surrounding the said location.

All of what that man said came true… except for this? Was that all a fluke, helped by a sheer amount of coincidence? Was it even true that this is the "last timeline" that he talked about? That was when I noticed an absurd object falling from the sky. When I said "absurd," it was because… it was a boy.

"OUTTA THE WAY!"

Out of the way, eh? Okay.

 **THUD!**

I am a man of a few words, but something about this… makes me say a ton of words all at once. The bench was now broken and lying on the ground, there is a crash trail on the ground, and at the end was the guy who fell from the sky, faceplanted to the ground. From his clothes, I can tell that he's a mechanic of sorts, even though he looks like around the same age group as me.

Finally, he got his face off the soil, stood up, and dusted his clothes. "Sheesh, the boots are a fail, still. I don't wanna use these things ever again."

"Uh, excuse me. Who the heck are you?" I ask in the most emotionless way as possible. Right after he took off his boots and replaced them with shoes, he said a name I thought was unimaginable.

His name is…

"Oh, my name's Hephaestus. And it seems to me that I've found my buddy."


End file.
